12 Rounds 3: Lockdown Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown Blu-ray Movie Review

Ambrose Dies Hard.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 6, 2016

The 12 Rounds franchise may be the WWE's most prolific, in terms of quality of product and quantity of releases, behind only the Marine films that currently sit at four strong. While none of these WWE Action films make for essential viewing -- they're all pretty much assembled, competently, from the spare parts and recycled ideas bins -- they provide reasonable Action movie escapism for audiences who aren't particularly demanding either in terms of lofty production values or originality of content. This film stars WWE's current (at time of writing) Intercontinental champ Dean Ambrose as a disgraced cop who must fight for his life when he uncovers evidence of corruption inside the department. Yawn? Yeah, it's a pretty standard plot, but the movie enjoys the benefits of decent performances, lean construction, and serviceable shootouts that elevate it a few notches above the dreck but still well below the best the franchise has to offer.

I need a bigger mag.

Detective John Shaw (Dean Ambrose) is back at work after a lengthy absence following an incident that got a fellow officer killed. He's not particularly well liked or trusted, which certainly doesn't help his case when he gets his hands on evidence that demonstrates deep corruption by his ex-partner, a well-liked and decorated cop named Tyler Burke (Roger R. Cross). Burke quickly learns from an inside source that Shaw is holding the evidence. Burke and a team of heavily armed men trip the fire alarm, sending everyone but his men and Shaw out of the building. Now, armed with just 12 rounds in his gun and a whole lot of adrenaline flowing through his body, Shaw must overcome the odds and incriminate his ex-partner before he's gunned down in cold blood.

The film doesn't amount to much more than a spirited, but clearly lower-grade, Die Hard knock-off. 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown rearranges a few roles, chiefly replacing European terrorists with a corrupt cop and his cronies in the roles of the bad guys and a high-rise with a more confined police department, but it's essentially still the story one man against several, all of whom are better armed but none of whom are WWE Superstars. Advantage: Ambrose. The movie earns its title this time because Ambrose carries a .40 caliber Sig Sauer handgun (not the Beretta pictured on the box art) that holds 12 rounds in the magazine, and that's all he has at his disposal throughout the movie (apparently he neither keeps one in the pipe nor carries spare mags, not to mention his failure to take dead guys' guns to supplant his meager arsenal, but whatever). Several times throughout Ambrose uses his down time to check how many rounds he las left, the number dwindling with every encounter with his pursuers. That means the action is largely one-sided. Bad guys expend hundreds of rounds from automatic weapons while Ambrose is usually left dodging and weaving and taking cover, but at several points in the movie he puts his moves to good use and gets the jump on the bad guys to keep the playing field as level as he can.

Dean Ambrose is forced to set aside is "lunatic fringe" persona for a slightly more hardened cop in 12 Rounds 3. His dramatic, dialogue delivery performance is a little stiff, but then again he's pigeonholed into a tired type and working with a script that has the leeway of a Rusev accolade submission hold. The former Shield member carries himself well enough with a gun, however. He looks comfortable using it and believably pulls off the "edgy cop" routine. However, he's out-shined by former 24 Actor Roger R. Cross who, like Ambrose, is stuck dealing with a fairly generic villain, but he's able to infuse a little attitude to the part that elevates the movie a bit above the midrange. Director Stephen Reynolds works efficiently, keeping the film feeling visually fresh but never pushes any boundaries or emphasizes style above substance. He captures the action with a fair bit of grit but always keeps the actors and the story center stage.

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown features a technically sound but visually bland 1080p transfer. It satisfies all of the basic requirements and does so without any serious hiccups. The color palette is, by design, lacking much spark beyond a few early outdoor segments that reveal, chiefly, a bright yellow Camaro. Much of the movie is bathed in grays and blues while some better lit segments are fairly warm (the open) or simply dull and lacking any spunk (much of the station with full lighting). Details are fine. Faces reveal good general textures, ditto clothes, and some various background details produce a few nice textural and tactile touches. Basic image clarity and definition are the transfer's best asset. Black levels can push a dark purple and flesh tones vary under any given lighting condition.

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is, like its video companion, technically sound but not particularly noteworthy. It's energetic when necessary, spilling music and action into the stage with satisfying, but not at all unique, elements. Music is nicely spread across the front and enjoys moderate surround support and a fair bit of low end heft. Gunfire never quite reaches the pinnacle of lifelike reproduction, favoring instead a nice bit of pop and zip. The aftermath -- shattering glass, bullets clanking off a metal surface -- are more sonically appealing. Minor office ambience fills the stage in the early precinct segments, and quieter scenes allow little details like humming fluorescent lights to help better define a room. Dialogue is delivered with satisfying center placement and richness of vocalization.

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown contains two featurettes. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Resourceful Adversary (1080p, 4:55): Thie piece offers a quick story recap, a look at Ambrose's many "MacGyver" moments, the film's fight choreography, and Ambrose's performance.
• Filming a Fire Fight (1080p, 6:10): A closer look at the art of making a movie shootout.
• Also From Lionsgate (1080p): Previews.

12 Rounds 3: Lockdown Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Don't look for 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown to take away any prizes for creativity, but Action fans should find enough gunplay to get the juices flowing. The movie isn't a breakout for Dean Ambrose, but he plays the edgy cop angle well enough and satisfies requirements for a second-rate Action film. His work is overshadowed by a better performance from Roger R Cross. The film does well to fill its niche and shows that WWE Studios, while not the biggest on the block, knows how to put together a competent movie that satisfies every base requirement, and then some. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release of 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown delivers satisfying video and audio. Supplements are marginal. Recommended to WWE and Action movie fans.